UNC Notes: Some 'bigs' could be headed to Bears football team

» Back home: The University of Northern Colorado women’s basketball team is back home for 7 p.m. and 2 p.m. games on Thursday and Saturday against Montana State and Montana, respectively after a 3-1 road trip that included Big Sky Conference victories over Weber State and Idaho State over the weekend.

Winning at home will by key if the Bears are to make a run at being in the top six of the BSC standings.

» Predictions: The UNC men’s and women’s tennis teams learned their preseason rankings recently with the women being picked to finish fourth in the BSC while the men have been picked to finish seventh.

The news wasn’t as good for the Bears’ indoor track and field teams with the women projected to finish 10th and women 11th in the BSC preseason polls.

The UNC women have already turned in some impressive performances with school records in the 55-meter hurdles (Amber Solomon), long jump (Rachel Hinker) and pole vault (Stephanie Ryken).

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Mum’s the word over at Butler-Hancock Sports Pavilion as Earnest Collins Jr. shuffles in groups of recruits for his University of Northern Colorado football team.

Collins, who isn’t allowed to talk about a recruit until he has a letter of intent in hand next month, hasn’t given any indication he’s even received a verbal commitment.

However, with today’s social media, the information flows freely.

It appears that the Bears are going for size in the trenches with at least two verbal commitments and may even be bringing in a few quarterback candidates to open up the competition with the heir apparent Sean Rubalcaba.

The biggest of new Bears is expected to be Kody Mommaerts, a 6-foot-6, 280-pound behemoth who played offensive left tackle for Monarch this season.

Google Mommaerts and you’ll get a taste of how opponents struggled to block him all season as Monarch consistently ran to his side.

Of course, the video is of Mommaerts’ highlights, but he has a solid upside, and consider the fact he’ll probably eclipse 300 pounds in his first season.

Joining Mommaerts in the area of “bigs” is Radmen Niven, a 6-foot-4, 275-pounder who played last season at Rochester (Minn.) Community and Technical College after a stellar career at Washburn High School.

Niven is more than likely projected as an offensive lineman.

Add Kendall Ryan, a 6-foot-4, 305-pound offensive lineman from Pomona to the list.

Ryan’s height indicates that he’s not just another roly-poly high school lineman.

Next on the list is Joshua Peterson, a 6-foot-1, 170-pound wideout from Edna Karr High School in New Orleans

It’s been a little tough tracking down information on Peterson, but when you consider that Rivals.com rates him as a two-star recruit, his value gains some instant credibility.

Dan Ryan, a 6-foot-3, 270-pound offensive lineman from O’Fallen High School in St. Louis, Mo., has Tweeted that’s he’s committed to UNC.